Rural development Ministers, permanent Secretaries and Chief Executive officers from 15 Asia Pacific countries will meet in Fiji tomorrow for a regional integrated rural development forum.

Fiji is hosting the biennial 20th Governing Council Meet and 30th Executive committee meet as well as the 7th regional policy dialogue meet for the Center on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)

Agriculture Minister Inia Seruiratu says CIRDAP was established in response to the need for regional cooperation and networking in the rural development.

In addition, the Centre was established to meet the needs of the developing countries at that time as an institution for promoting integrated rural development in the region.

Seruiratu says the meet indicates government’s commitment to rural development investment in the country.

He adds it will further solidify Fiji’s lead role in development in the Pacific region.

Member countries expected to attend include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

The forum will be held at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi from tomorrow till the 21st August.